


Didn't See That One Coming

by RaticX



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-20
Updated: 2019-04-20
Packaged: 2020-01-22 22:59:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,194
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18537211
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RaticX/pseuds/RaticX
Summary: As pissed as her voice sounded, the girl didn’t seem to be making any attempt at strolling away, but instead stared back at Toni as well as the serpent did at her. It was almost as if the redhead challenged her to say something else. But her stare also held something other than challenge, just a twinge of something else, something Toni could not figure out what it was.Slow-burn Choni fanfiction. Choni is endgame, but I think I’m gonna stretch this one pretty hard, like making them be friends for starters after the ‘loathing’ phase and maybe throw some in between girlfriend in there, stir up the jealousy real good, also follow Toni’s life a bit outside of Choni. It’s also my first fanfic like ever plus English isn’t my native language so cut me some slack guys.





	1. A Fresh Start

**Author's Note:**

> Sooo this is my first fic like ever and my native language isn't English so don't bully me if it's too bad hahaha, just let me know though. Also thanks for reading!

She pushed the doors open and walked into the madness that is Riverdale High. The quietness and soft breeze against her skin from the air outside, immediately replaced by the noise of loud chatter, laughter and sweaty teenager bodies fighting themselves a way through the hallways. Riverdale High would come nowhere near being similar to South Side High. No gangs, no classrooms with broken windows, no crazy-ass teachers on the verge of depression and no toilet stalls without doors. But at the end of the day it was still a high school, meaning jocks, cheerleaders, popular kids, nerds, irresponsible home parties and of course the ‘unforgettable’ prom. She could get through this, if she could handle living on the Southside, she most definitely could deal with some luxury-fed kids her own age. I mean how hard could it possibly be.

“Okay, here goes nothing”, Toni sighed to herself wrestling through the mass looking for her locker. After a couple of minutes searching she finally found it a bit further on the bottom row. Sighing a second time she crouched down putting some text books in there to lighten up the weight of her bag. Why did she always had to have a locker on the lowest row. Yes, she was smaller than she’d like to admit but not that small.

“Scored yourself the best one once again, I see?” 

Needless to look up seeing to whom the voice belonged, Toni threw the locker closed with a grin and stood up.

“Well unfortunately we can’t all have high ones, even though it seems that only those are used in pretty much every single teen high school drama series ever.”

She responded readjusting her bag on her shoulder.

“It’s good to see you brought your witty remarks here with you Tiny”

Sweet Pea smiled, straight white teeth on full display.

“If it offers any reconciliation, I myself also happen to be the not so proud owner of a low one.”

Toni looked incredulously at him as they walked to class. Happy to have found a friend to help her figure the way out since the architects of this building seemed to have enjoyed themselves making the hallways way more complicated than they needed to be. Maybe she just wasn’t used to it, I mean Southside High only had half of the amount of classrooms of Riverdale High, by consequence being way smaller and having way less hall rooms and intersections.

“Dude, you serious? You’re like the tallest person I know.”

“I know right, they must’ve chosen that one for me on purpose…”

“God, I hope so. You trying to crouch down with your stiff and extremely un-flexible corps, is like the most hilarious image I’ve had in quite a while.”

Toni laughed, receiving a light shove in her side.

“Hey, I am not that stiff”

“You sooo are, Sweets”

“So am not.”

Sweet Pea said while trying to throw her, what he thought to be, his angriest glare, failing miserably. Which made Toni laugh even more.

“Whatever Tiny.” He continued replacing his wannabe glare with a sideways smile.

“As I was saying, they must’ve chosen that one for me on purpose since basically anyone who transferred here from the Southside has one on the bottom. You think they’re trying to say something with that?”

Toni followed his nod to a small group of Northsiders sharing the latest gossip from what happened over the weekend with one other. 

“I don’t know, man and truth being told I don’t want to overthink just yet. We just got here, I was kind of hoping on a fresh start you know.”

She said trying not to let her voice drip with disappointment too much. He was probably right, yet she was not going to let the Northside look down on her so quickly and certainly not without restraint. 

“Yeah I get you, just don’t trust them without proper ground. But enough about school. There’s this awesome new action movie playing on cable television tonight, well of course not new-new since you know it came out a couple of months ago. But I doubt you or the boys have seen it already because we’ve been so busy lately with Southside High closing and stuff. So I thought how about we all just hangout after school grab some food, head off to my place and…”

He stopped rambling when he noticed Toni wasn’t walking beside him anymore and turned to see her standing a few meters away from him.

“What’s up Tiny? Can’t keep up anymore with your small girl legs?”

“I think I’ve got class here”

“No I’m pretty sure it’s still a bit further”

“Yeah about that… We’re not in the same classes Sweets.”

“What are you talking about?”

Sweet Pea walked back to her, looking confused into the classroom.

“Dude, this is a class for like smart-ass nerds. This ain’t the place to be for us”

“I’m afraid it is… for me”

“What? You smart enough for this shit? Damn Tiny never would have thought you had the brains for something like this.”

“Fuck you man, of course I have the brains for this. I just never got the chance to prove it back at the Southside.”

“Wow, I love you too Toni, stop saying such kind things to me.”

“Sorry, guess I’m a bit nervous sitting in class surrounded by Northsiders without anyone I know.”

“Hey, look I was only kidding. You’re without a doubt smart enough for this type a thing. You’re gonna kick all these Northsiders their asses, I’m sure of it. Anyways running late, gotta go. If these idiots dare to touch you, don’t hesitate you let me and the others know, okay? Catch you later Tiny”

“I can defend myself, but thanks Sweets”

“I don’t doubt that for a second”

And with that he was gone as the bell rang for what must’ve have the second or third time. Taking a breath, Toni gripped the band of the bag tightly and walked into the classroom a few steps until she felt herself tripping over some kind of coat and falling to the ground, hard. Groaning to herself, she stood back up rather quickly while the surrounding laughter died out almost as fast as it had begun. She stared down at the dark red reason for her tripping lying down at her feet and reached down to pick it up. What kind of idiot lets her…

“Omg you did not just step on my brand new designer piece. What for an amaurotic imbecile are you?”

“Well if you wouldn’t have…”

Toni stopped dead in her speech upon seeing the red-haired reason for the cancelled round of laughter. She opened her mouth to say something, but closed it again, finding herself completely speechless at the attractive girl standing right in front of her with a rather annoyed and cocky glare plastered on her face.

“If I wouldn’t have what?”

The fiery redhead snapped at her whilst snatching the coat out of Toni’s hands. As pissed as her voice sounded, the girl didn’t seem to be making any attempt at strolling away, but instead stared back at Toni as well as the serpent did at her. It was almost as if the redhead challenged her to say something else. But her stare also held something other than challenge, just a twinge of something else, something Toni could not figure out what it was.

“Still waiting for an apology, clumsy”

For some reason Toni got back to her senses and finally averted her gaze.

“Ain’t no way in hell I’m apologising for the fact that you can’t seem to keep your stuff near you.”

She spat back suddenly feeling confident. 

“Excuse me bitch?”

“You heard me just fine Ginger”

“Blossom, Topaz get to your seats immediately or you’ll be facing detention for a week!”

Both girls took their seats, carrying respectively clenched jaws, while Toni noticed that the so called Blossom must’ve dropped her coat earlier since she did not sit in the front but in the back… Just a row to the left and one seat in front of the only free desk left to take for Toni. Opening her textbook, she felt her boredom already come up as the teacher’s voice started to get lost somewhere in the background talking about how deoxyribonucleic acid was shaped like a double helix, made up out of nucleotides. Nucleotides which of course were composed of a nitrogenous base, a five-carbon sugar, ribose or deoxyribose, and at least one phosphate group and it withholds important biological information and blah blah blah. Nothing she didn’t know already.

Toni found herself despite her restraint distracted by that one mysterious girl on her left. From where she sat she could see her out of a perfect angle. The sunlight that fell from the window lit up her face just wonderfully. She was wearing natural make-up and a bright red top with black leather pants and black high heels, (Louboutins of course, sole to match her top and hair), which suited her so well. Why was it that she always found the girls that behaved like the worst to her, the prettiest. Worst part was, this girl wasn’t even like just pretty. Hell she could probably pass for beautiful, a word not so very often used by the serpent and actually maybe even reserved for her beloved motorcycle. Not that she would ‘ever’ admit that to that Blossom girl, no it would only feed her ego even more.

Startled at the soft sound of a pencil hitting the ground, seemingly belonging to the redhead, her train of thoughts came to a stop. Now who’s the clumsy one huh? Little did Toni know the girl had caught her staring. But instead of pointing it out, not seeing the fun in that, she went with another approach. Cheryl Blossom didn’t just drop a pencil whilst writing. So she stood up, bending down very deeply with her behind pointed in a certain Serpent’s direction. Smiling smugly to herself. 

Toni could not help herself but to think “Damn, Blossom chick is flexible and has a way too nice…”

Not realizing, Toni had yet again been staring, she met the girl’s eyes as she turned around to go sit back down, flipping her hair as she did so. Not stopping facing Toni with her smug smile she wiggled her eyebrows and whispered, only for Toni to hear:

“Saw something you like, Topaz?”

Toni didn’t know what kind of game the redhead had started to play, but she chose the wrong opponent, Toni was determined to win.

“You wish, Blossom” 

Toni knew goddamn well that that was lie.


	2. If cheerleading wasn’t her thing before…

After their little exchange the bell followed rather fast and Blossom seemed to had disappeared as first through the door by the time Toni looked up from her gracefully drawn doodles in her binder. She had managed to take some notes but they weren’t very spectacular. She didn’t care though, most of this stuff she already knew, but normally she would’ve paid more attention to class.   
She gathered her stuff and dragged herself back into the crowded hallway, hoping her next class wouldn’t be too far away.   
A couple of classes later and she found herself once more standing in the hallways, breaking her head over where her friends would’ve decided to spent lunch break. ‘If I was a teenage serpent guy, where would I go? Simply outside right?’ She was thinking as she saw a round object nearing her out of the corner of her eye. Thanking her fast reflexes she took a step back allowing the football to continue its flying path in the air.

“Hey, watch it!”

She turned to the familiar voice as a smile downed on her face. Fangs glared at the bull dogs, who seemed very unbothered, while the other serpents also stepped into frame.

“Sorry for that princess”

A quite handsome, muscular jock came up to her collecting the ball that had collided with the wall.

“I’m Archie Andrews”

He said with a toothy grin, eyes wandering down, not so subtly checking her out.

“If you’d like I can make it up to you, how about tonight?”

“Sorry Romeo, she fortunately already has plans tonight. Also how about you try find someone in your league huh? Scumbag like you wouldn’t get someone like her in a billion years”

Sweet Pea barked at so called Archie Andrews standing face to face with him, pretty much ready to bite one other’s noses off. Seriously though what was it with guys always trying to intimidate one other by going up to stand right into kissing distance.

“What are you? Her guard dog? I believe she’s old enough to make her own damn decisions you dipshit.” 

“Okay, guys, cut it out. I don’t think anyone here is down for a round of detention”

Toni interfered, continuing by looking more specifically to Sweet Pea.

“Especially not on our first day. But Sweets was right Archie, I’m indeed already busy tonight.” 

“How about Friday night? We’re playing against some school from North Dakota, football, feel free to come”

Archie added as the serpents were already making their way outside. ‘This guy is not going to give up, is he?’ Toni thought to herself. It was cute though, she had had her fair share of people approaching her, but they mostly only wanted one thing. Others were too afraid of talking to her since she often walked around with the gang members, making her not such an easy target to ask out on a date or something.

“Maybe I’ll come maybe I won’t. Guess you’ll have to wait until Friday to find that out”

She said walking backwards to the exit with a mischievous smile. God was she flirting?

“The game starts at six, oh and one last thing?”

“What?”

She asked, now standing in the doorway, waiting for him to answer.

“I didn’t get your name”

“Toni Topaz, see you around”

And with that she turned around and sped up a bit to join Fangs, Sweets and Jughead, leaving Archie smilingly shaking his head behind in the hall.

“What was that about?”

Jughead asked with his mouth full. They found a nice spot on the grass under a tree. It was a sunny day out, not too cold, not too warm.

“Was he asking you out on a date?”

“So what if he did?”

Toni asked lying down with her bag under her head for support.

“Please do not tell me you were not actually considering it. Guys like Andrews are assholes. They only care about themselves and their image. Besides if he finds out you’re a serpent like us, he probably wouldn’t mind gathering his bulldogs buddies and start fighting you for no reason. Not that he would achieve anything, we’d have him against the ground in no time.”

Jughead continued looking pretty pleased at the image of the serpents standing above a bunch of Riverdale High jocks, successively showing who the strongest is out there.

“You’re damn right, Jug!” 

Fangs fist bumped him before finishing his bottle of soda in one chug. 

“I’d love a refill, anyone not lazy enough to stand up gets a beer on me at the Whyte Wyrm.”

“You guys are so in love with drama, what happened to a fresh start, huh? Anyways I’d stand up for free beer any time. Someone else need something?”

Toni laughed as she pushed herself up. Upon seeing the boys’ attention slightly fading by some cheerleaders passing by, she noticed that she had yet to sign up for any extracurricular activities.

“Are you guys going to stop drooling or do I need to go get a bucket?”

“We weren’t drooling”, Jughead said stare still glued to a particular blonde, “we were merely enjoying the view.”

“Right, by the way are you going to be participating in a club or something, it’ll look good for college… if we ever collect enough money to attend one that is.”

Toni asked with a frown realising the hard truth of that last part. Saving up enough for continuing her studies was going to be very tough. College would most likely be a dream that she would have to let go, simply because she wasn’t born on the right tracks.

“Nah I don’t see us joining any other clubs beside sport teams and since, fairly obvious, being a bulldog isn’t an option, I think it’s a pass. Perhaps Jug over here could go write for the school paper so yeah.”

Sweet Pea said finally peeling his eyes of the girls’ legs. 

“Although” he went on with a mischievous smirk “I do believe you’d be an excellent cheerleader, you’d perfectly fit into that picture.”

Immediately scrunching his nose at the idea. While the other two laughed at the idea.

“Was that sarcasm? You don’t think I couldn’t handle being a cheerleader? If anything you guys wouldn’t be able to handle it.”

“Ewww gross Tiny, what are you trying to say with that?”

“That it’s a challenge accepted.”

Toni said winking in Sweets’ direction. Earning him fake choking, followed by everyone laughing. It was all playful of course. Sweet Pea, Jughead and Fangs were like brothers to her and they naturally looked at her like a sister, who they would protect at all costs, even when she was tough enough to defend herself. The sisterly love she had for the boys however didn’t hold her back to sometimes remind them that she was in fact a good looking girl and could have a certain effect on some people every now and then. And the most definitely could move like a girl.  
“Really, you’ll do it? You? Toni Topaz? Wow, Toni cheerleading, now that’s an image rare to find. But returning to the important stuff, where’s my refill oh soon-to-be-cheerleader?”  
Fangs almost giggled holding out some change. Something told Toni that he was pretty excited by the idea and that he even himself wouldn’t mind joining the squad. Something he’d never admit though.

“I am on my way you impatient child.”

Toni said, standing up and walked up to the entrance of the school building. Still going over on the cheerleading idea. She could do it, right? Normally she would’ve gone with a more… how do you say that… sport-sport? Such as soccer or basketball (yes, she maybe was small, but girl don’t underestimate her, she was good; very good in basketball). Oh well it was going to be something new and she was going to kill it. Even if it was just for proving the boys she could do it.   
Strolling up to the first vending machine in sight, Toni came across a girl with friendly features, someone she was sure she had seen in a cheerleading outfit just a couple of minutes ago. Thinking she wasn’t up to holding it off she changed her direction a bit until she stood next to the girl taking some stuff out of her locker.

“Hey” Toni started. Receiving no response, she raised her eyebrows at the rudeness, but decided to proceed anyways.

“So, I transferred here just today from another school and I was thinking about joining the cheer squad. I got a hunch earlier you were one of them and I was wondering if you could maybe tell me where to sign up.”

Toni was once again met by silence. She began to open her mouth, ready to repay the pleasurable rudeness before she noticed that the blonde girl was silently humming along a familiar tune. She closed her locker and turned around, gasped loudly and dropped her textbook upon finally seeing the pink-haired girl, now smiling at the weird scene in front of her.

“Oh god you scared me, I didn’t see you there”

The blonde said pulling her headphones out of her ears. Well that explains the non-existent answers she got.

“Yeah sorry about that. I didn’t know you were listening to music.” 

Toni said crouching down before the cheerleader could and handing the fallen textbook back to her.

“Thanks, looks like someone is quite the gentle lady”, 

The girl said with a wink, continuing by pointing at her headphones.

“And don’t worry about it, you’re not the first one I probably ignored due to these bad boys. So me too, sorry about that, but do you mind repeating yourself, I didn’t catch what you were saying.”

“Right, so I’m new here and wanted to join the cheer squad, any ideas how I can do that?”

“Yes of course ehm, I’d just say show up to our next practice which would be… Next week on Monday I guess? Normally we have practice more often, but since our HBIC seemed not to be in the mood or busy or whatever this week, looks like you’ll have to wait a couple of days. We do have some meetings though but that’ll be just only for the game on Friday, so I don’t think we’ll have time then. But that can be a good thing, that way you’ve got more time to prepare yourself a bit. At the end it’s all about impressing her. The rest of the squad will gladly accept you.”

“The HBIC? What’s that?”

“Head Bitch In Charge; her name is Cheryl you most likely have seen her already, she pretty… extra as Veronica would call it.”

“You call your head cheerleader Head Bitch In Charge? That’s kind of ehm unique I guess?”

Toni laughed confused.  
“Oh don’t worry about it, you’ll understand why quickly enough. Oh and my name is Betty by the way, I could give you some tips over text if you’d like to?”

“I’m Toni and awesome thanks!”

Toni said as she handed over her phone to exchange numbers. Something in her head was bubbling though. She had the feeling she indeed did hear of a Cheryl before, but really couldn’t place where she would’ve heard of the girl.

“Here you go, now it was nice meeting you, I still got to pick up something before class. But I hope to see you soon, Toni”

Just a wave of her hand and Betty turned around the corner. ‘That wasn’t so bad’ Toni thought to herself, immediately wondering why she thought that. Unconsciously she must’ve thought Northsiders were all horrible, but yeah can you blame her after all their doing in the past? Guess they aren’t all stereotypical image of the Northside. She mentally shrugged and happily walked back to the vending machine. So far her first day had actually gone great compared to what she had imagined. Leaving the part about the fiery, red-headed Blossom this morning. Toni hadn’t had the pleasure to walk into her again that day and she thanked God. Although she wouldn’t mind seeing the girl again from far, she was after still a beautiful sight. ‘God, what?’ Toni whispered to herself. That was like the second time she called the red head beautiful. What was wrong with her. Shaking the train of thoughts out of her head, she grabbed a soda and went back outside to where she had left her bag with the boys.

“Jeez, finally! What took you so long.”

Fangs asked as he practically flew out to the drink in Toni’s hand. 

“You were pretty close to letting me die from dehydration.”

“So dramatic”

“So tardy”

Toni let crouched down with an eyeroll, punching him playfully on his shoulder.

“So we still good for tonight?”

“Hell yes, Tiny. After the last bell meet up at the parking lot.”

Sweet Pea responded lazily. He was lying on his back facing the sky, a copy of Toni’s earlier pose.

“Great, then I’m going to head off now. I still got to get some textbooks and got to pee. Catch you later, assholes.”

“Later smartass!”

Putting the books in her bag she looked at her watch and saw that she still had around ten minutes to go to the bathroom. Perfect. She pushed the door open, accidently hitting the person behind it who was about to do the same thing.  
“I am so sorry I-”

“Watch where you go you-”

And there she stood again the beautiful (wait what?) redhead from that morning, but now from up close.

“I can’t actually believe it’s you again. You must really be an Amaurotic. How do you even cope with yourself and why do you keep stalking me?”

“Oh please, don’t flatter yourself. I just came in here to pee and you just happened to be in the wrong place, wrong time. Now if you’d excuse me?”

Toni said with way more added sass than she had ever talked with, which shocked herself. She even used a bitchy hand motion, which so didn’t fit her. Damn what did this girl turn her into.  
Blossom chick, on the other hand didn’t seem as shocked by her speech, but rather… impressed? Something she covered up almost as fast as she had started to show it.   
The two girls stood closely face to face and Toni now understood why guys did it. When met by a worthy opponent it could indeed feel pretty intimidating. Blossom’s eyes fiercely drilled their way into Toni’s. But Toni wasn’t about to back down. Or was she? The redhead’s expression at first seemed very stoic and unbreakable, but there was a hint of something else in there. Hurt? Toni now saw the girl holding one hand steadily in the other. She must’ve hit it against the door and looked like it hurt a lot.   
Toni let her expression soften just this once, giving in to the redhead, let me repeat just for this one time, to which the redhead, of course, carried a victoriously grin.

“Look, I’m sorry for having swung the door so hard, can you let me take a look at your hand?”

“So what? You’re a doctor now too? My my you really think you’re all that, don’t you?”

Toni couldn’t help but to roll her eyes at girl. She really was a lot to deal with.

“I just want to take a look, for your sake.”

Empathizing the word your Blossom seemed to be considering it. Torn in between two decisions, she chose what she thought to be the safest and smacked Toni’s hand that was already holding her arm.

“Get your Sapphic, serpent hands off my body!”

And as the flame coloured locks disappeared behind her, Toni sighed and shrugged not caring too much.

“Oh well, I tried”

Rest of the day passed rather uneventful and before she knew the last bell of her first day at Riverdale High rang and Toni made her way to the parking lot contently to be spending her evening with her friends.


	3. …She sure as hell will make it her thing now

“Get out the way you little asshole!”

“Keep on dreaming man… Hey, that’s cheating!”

“What you going to do about it, big boy?!”

Toni’s eyes were fixated on the screen where Fangs and Sweet Pea were competing against each other in a rather violent Mario Kart game. Jughead was sitting next to her with his legs swung over the armrest, lazily putting popcorn in his mouth. Sweet Pea and Fangs sat on the ground of the small trailer now more pushing one other than actually focus on the game itself, with which they accomplished to end both in last place and second last place.

“You guys actually are so shit at this game, it’s insane”

Toni joked as she stood up stretching and yawning at the same time.

“I think I’m going to head out, it’s getting pretty late.”

“Yeah right, Tiny. You’re just making sure to get out of here on time before I challenge you and beat your ass at this game.”

Sweet Pea said throwing the remote on the couch, whilst standing up as well.

“You?” Toni raised her eyebrows, “Beating my ass? In what universe, would that be, huh?”

“Come come, Toni let the kid have his hopes and dreams.”

Jughead jumped in, earning an eyeroll from Sweet Pea. 

“Let’s all call it a night, thanks Sweets letting us hang here and by the way, know that you guys’ awful Mario Kart playing probably was more entertaining than the movie before.”

“Hey, I was doing great before that idiot decided to push and cheat!”

Fangs said faking hurt. Toni laughed wholeheartedly and walked through the door before saying: 

“I don’t doubt that for second Fangs. Goodnight everyone!”

“Night, Toni!”

Stepping out of the trailer she felt the fresh air invading the nostrils. It was dark out and no moon tonight to light up the path a little bit. Toni clicked on the light on her phone and walked peacefully back to her trailer. It really was nice having your friends live that near to you, made evenings like these a lot easier to get home.  
Once home she closed the curtains and opened her laptop. With cheerleading moves in the search bar, she went through YouTube trying to find a style that she could copy to impress the oh so iconic HBIC, she had never met. After a couple of minutes of searching and clicking frustratingly away, she closed her laptop sighing loudly. There was nothing on there that she liked. I mean YouTube holds a lot of good dance videos (and a lot of hot dancers too she might add), but nothing she found was quite like she wanted. Maybe cheerleading wasn’t for her after all?  
Shaking off the pessimistic vibes, she reopened her laptop and putted her Spotify on shuffle and stood up. Runaway by Oscar and the Wolf came softly through the speakers. Toni started lightly moving her body, trying to feel the music caught by her earlobes rather just do certain dance moves. As she felt the chorus nearing, she slowly fastened up her pace. “But don’t you ever runaway, don’t you want to stay?” Toni closed her eyes softly singing along, letting the music guide her. Completely lost in her own world, she never would know that her dancing in that exact moment, the style she created, one that she could call her own, would one day add up to one of the many things that would make a certain redhead fall unconditionally hard for her.

Toni woke up to a distant repeating noise. Pulling herself up she felt her neck aching like crazy. Looks like she had fallen asleep on the couch, after having danced the night away.   
Reaching out, she found her phone on the ground blaring out the alarm tone as if it there were some zombie apocalypse on its way. Pressing mute as she muttered something under her breath; cursing the man who had invented mornings, she pulled one eye open to look at the time.

“Shit!”

She was late for her second day. Damn she was handling this new school thing good… not. Skipping the shower, she got dressed rapidly, grabbed her bag throwing her toothbrush in there. (Fun fact: she hated leaving her trailer without having brushed her teeth, it felt horrible doing so). She jumped on her motorcycle and rushed to school.

She still made it on time in class after half running through the halls, hearing some teacher say the very iconic sentence that she shouldn’t run in the halls and passing Sweet Pea who yelled at her that she looked like shit today. Thanks for that Sweets.  
Chemistry, what a great day to be at school today. Toni took her seat way in the back. She took her books out as the teacher started calling out names.

“Keller, Kevin?”

“Present.”

“Andrews, Archie?”

“Unfortunately present sir”

“Mugs, Ethel?”

“Present.”

“Blossom, Cheryl?... Blossom, Cheryl” 

He repeated when no answer came.  
As Toni vaguely heard some student named Veronica tell him, there must’ve been something that had crossed Cheryl’s path to hold her up since the girl was never late, Toni felt the blood draining from her face. Blossom, Cheryl, meaning the first name of the Blossom girl was Cheryl, meaning she was of course the HBIC. So the fiery redhead whom she had encountered twice yesterday and with whom she most likely already carried a bad name, was going to be the one that she had to prove herself to, to get into the Vixens? Fuck, this challenge just became a whole lot more difficult.   
Her internal battle with the new knowledge came to a stop upon seeing Cheryl opening the door with a knock and entering giving her apologies for her retard.   
“It’s alright miss Blossom, you may go take your seat.”  
Toni’s mouth ran dry as she noticed that the only free seat was the one right next to her. Seriously? How in the world was this a coincidence? Cheryl swept her eyes over the room, falling upon the seat. Quickly taking another glance, she as well noticed that that was the only non-taken seat. Glaring at no one in particular she strolled to the back, head held high. Everyone could see the dominance that radiated off her skin whenever she moved around. Toni, just as many others, secretly found it quite alluring.   
Without a word or even a look in Toni’s direction, she sat down. Waiting for the teacher to continue and making all her classmates turn back forward, ripping their eyes of her once again on point outfit.

“Topaz, Antoinette?”

“Here, but it’s Toni sir.”

Toni said a little annoyed at the stifled giggles in front of the class and naturally also the smirk right to her left. She always had hated that name, it just didn’t fit her. Besides it sounds as if it belongs to a grandma of seventy.

“Duly noted”

A few more names and he explained the assignment they’d be working on the whole month. It would be smart to do research outside of the class since the essay they would need to write about it, would decide a large bit of the final grade at the end of the semester. They would start next week and by then he wanted to know who would pair up with whom. Toni thanked the God she didn’t believe in they weren’t paired up with the ones sitting next to them.  
Sometime later Toni found herself bored as hell and daydreaming. How could you not. Chemistry was just as biology a subject she already knew more about than most of her peers. A fact that most people seemed to surprise, which she understood. Toni didn’t really fit into that picture of… let’s say scientifically educated person? So when Mr. Marvin pulled her out of her slumber with the not too difficult question: “What are the products of the fermentation of sugar, miss Topaz?” trying to get her to stop daydreaming.  
And she correctly answered: “Ethanol and carbon dioxide” out of the blue.  
She earned a class gasping and humming approvingly. As this process proceeded to happen due to her constantly falling back to dreaming and the teacher wanting her to pay attention, she came to a point where everyone, even Cheryl (who might have been even jealous for it), saw her as a remarkable, natural smart kid. Something Toni was completely unaware of. 

“Miss Topaz, what is the definition of an acid according to Arrhenius?”

“A source of H+-ions in water.”

“What is the name of the compound with molecular formula C6H6?”

“Benzene, sir”

“Catalytic converters are generally made from?”

“Transition metals.”

“Due to what element can we see green in fireworks?”

“The chloride salt of barium.”

Sighing out loud Mr. Marvin gave up and returned to his desk, when Toni heard Archie say: “She shoots, she scores! Nice one putting him back in his place Topaz!”   
Toni smiled confused at him winking to her, not understanding what just had happened. Not much later the bell ringed and class got dismissed. As she gathered up her stuff, she was approached by Ethel asking her if she would like to be her lab partner for the upcoming assignment. Toni smiled, but before she could answer, someone had already made up her decision for her.

“No can do, dweeb. She’s already with me on this.”

Cheryl very matter-of-factly said putting her bag on her shoulder, holding a small note in her hand. Toni looked at her even more confused than she was before.

“I am?”

Cheryl’s eyebrows shot up as if daring her to decline.

“Yeah, sorry Ethel, I am. Maybe next time.”

Toni added quickly, putting her hand on her shoulder as an apologetic gesture. Ethel just gave her a nod and hurriedly scurried away upon seeing Cheryl crossing her arms over her chest tilting her head to the side silently asking her what she was still doing her. 

“What was that abou-”

Toni was silenced by a finger against her mouth and a note being muffled in her hand. Her confusion grew even larger if that even was possible.

“Zip it, Algebra, you talk too much.”

Toni looked at Cheryl walking confidently away like she was on some kind of catwalk, measuring each step perfectly. Hips swaying ever so casually. God she was hot.  
Toni stood there starstruck for a few more minutes trying to digest what just had happened, before she regained her posture and unfold the note. It read Cheryl Bombshell, written in red of course, followed by a phone number. She almost couldn’t believe her eyes, wait was this to talk about the assignment or for something else? Giving the second option the benefit of the doubt, the pink haired decided to let her ego feast on this for a little while. Even though somewhere in her head she knew it was just for the class… Or was it?


	4. Exceptionally Amaurotic

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooo I forgot to mention my twitter is @exit4me so if you'd like to give some feedback through twitter, you can now ;) Thanks again for reading!

After having fought her way through the day, Toni stumbled into her trailer, kicking off her boots and threw herself face down onto the couch. Groaning after she did so. Riverdale High wasn’t so bad, but Toni was still a teenager which meant school sucked at all time. Joking around with the boys during lunch break made it bearable, but still. She turned herself around to face the ceiling and let her mind wander back to Cheryl that first hour that morning. She had basically ignored her all throughout the lesson, why did she then feel the need to work with her all of a sudden. Did she see something in her?  
Whatever it was, she truly wanted to impress the redhead at cheer practice, but she didn’t have the smallest clue how. It was Thursday today, so that meant she still had Friday and the weekend to work on a routine, but for some reason she felt as if that wasn’t going to be enough. Pulling the fumbled note out of her pocket, she typed the number in her phone and send a text.  
“Hey, it’s me Toni, the girl from Bio and Chemistry. This is my number if you’d ever feel like you needed it.”

She had already come to terms with the thought that Cheryl had only given her her number purely for the sake of the project. Not even a minute later she got a text back; a very dry “Ok.”  
Sighing, Toni pulled her laptop onto her lap and searched for Cheryl Blossom on Instagram, just out of sheer curiosity. She could learn something new about the Vixen, such as her hobbies or pets or maybe even family. As soon as she found some pictures, she gasped, muttering a raw “My god…” under her breath. She should’ve know on beforehand she was going to need a paper towel or something, because the instant she had clicked on the girl’s account she practically started drooling. Her pictures were all over the place, with perfect angles, perfect lighting, perfect everything. Naturally, Cheryl happened to be a perfectionist. Why didn’t that surprise her one bit.

Clicking away from the eye candy, she went back on her iTunes and putted it on shuffle, repeating her actions from the night before. The first notes of Million Eyes by Loïc Nottet sounded through the room. Setting a whole different vibe in the room. Standing up, she started to rotate her wrists together with the rhythm, slowly moving on to her arms and soon the rest of her body followed. The chorus came and she couldn’t help but to give her everything. Pouring all of her emotions in it, she danced with a style that could be described as wild but also controlled and so incredibly breath-taking.  
‘Cause with your million eyes, you’re watching me. You talk behind my back you spy on me. So I scream and shout to make you leave, but you’re still here. You keep judging me, with your million eyes.  
Toni connected on very deep level with this song. It reminded how Northsiders always treated her and everyone she ever cared about with the dirtiest filth. They judged them for simply not having the same luxuries as the Northside had. Even though she vowed to make a fresh start, she just couldn’t forget and she might never. The way they were always blamed, how they always paid for crimes they didn’t commit. And as a southside serpent, there was nothing, absolutely nothing you could do about it. That powerless feeling has bitten deep into her skin ever since she can remember. She promised herself to break through the walls she and her friends, no, not just friends, her family were kept in.  
Moving to Riverdale High was a start. But it wasn’t enough she still had some demons to conquer. To prove that the southside also holds pearls like the northside had. Maybe somewhere in her head that was also a reason why proving herself worthy to be a Vixen was so important. Receiving respect from a Queen Bee and Icon Cheryl Blossom, was equal to showing all kids in school, Serpents could do it too and perhaps even better.

It was a beautiful morning, the sun was out and the birds were chirping. Stuffing her mouth full with cornflakes, Toni scrolled through her phone upon seeing a notification of an unread text pop up on her screen. It read: ‘Hey stranger, remember me? ;)’ Toni had to smile at Betty’s attempt to reach out to her, just like she said she would. ‘How could I not?’ Toni swiftly sent. ‘So, I was thinking tomorrow is Saturday and my best friend Veronica and I, who also happens to be a cheerleader, don’t have anything to do this night, so how about we meet up after school and go through some routines for the try-out on Monday?’ ‘Sounds awesome!’ 

Toni brushed her teeth real quick, grabbed her jacket and headed out, determined not to be late today.  
The cold wind brushing her cheeks felt incredible good us usual and also made her wake her up some more. Driving to school on her motorcycle was one of her most favourite things of an average day of hers. It just made her feel free and carefree, a wonderful combination. After a couple of minutes she arrived at the schools parking lot, hopping off her bike she took of her helmet and ran a hand through her pink hair, trying to get some volume back in there. Out of the corner of her eyes she spotted a red convertible, withholding a staring pair of eyes.  
Toni locked eyes with Cheryl and gave her an unsure wave of her hand, to which the redhead just averted her gaze, focusing on the screen of her phone. 

“Way to go Tiny!”

Toni felt strong hand on her shoulder shaking her a bit. She turned around and was met by Sweet Pea joyful face.

“Speeding up to 70 where you’re only allowed to do 50, you’re such a gangster.”

“In case you forgot I am actually in a gang.”

Toni smiled giving Sweets a hug as a hello. Little did she know she was being watched very cautiously from a distance by a certain girl in a red convertible. 

“How could I forget: The strong and fearless Antoinette Topaz, undeniable worthy member of the southside Serpents.”

“Watch your mouth Pea, the name’s Toni to you!”

Sweets’ shoulder received a punch coming from Toni’s fist to which he pouted and rubbed it as if it had hurt a lot.

“Oh come don’t start crying you big baby”

Toni said laughing, backing away holding her hands up as she saw his eyes growing comically larger.

“What did you just call me? Oh yeah you better run Tiny, I’m a damn serpent for crying out loud. No one is calling me a baby without consequences.”

“Then you better catch me, tough boy!”

At this Toni laughingly ran away, followed closely by Sweet Pea. Cheryl watched the interaction with a twinge of jealousy. They seemed very close, it had been a while since she had someone who she could joke around with and who cared so deeply about her. In fact except for Jason, she felt like she hadn’t had anyone like that before in her life. It made her feel like should hate the pink haired girl even more. Truth being spoken, she actually had been struggling with remaining her stoic self with the girl. She wanted to hate her, but that hate was slowly slipping away for some reason, which completely drove her wild. Mostly because she was proving all of Cheryl’s prejudices about Serpents being uneducated scum wrong. Like in class when Toni effortless knew the answer to all of those questions, she left her no choice but to pair up for the project and that bothered her. Serpents were supposed to be underachievers not geniuses.  
Cheryl sighed loudly, checking her looks a final time her rear view and stepped out of the car locking it.

“Looking good, Blossom!”

She rolled her eyes at the bulldog, ignoring him and the wolf whistle that followed and made her way indoors. People immediately made room for her. It just hang in the air. Every time Cheryl Bombshell was around you better made some room for her or else you could prepare yourself for a verbally murdering kick right where it hurts the most. Fairly self-explanatory; no one is open to that sort of humiliation so everyone just obeys without complaint. 

Or actually almost everyone.

“What’s going on, Sweets, can’t keep up with someone half your size?!”

“Tiny, watch out!-”

Suddenly out of nowhere someone about a head smaller than her (due to her high heels) bumped into her with quite some speed. Nearly causing her to be tackled to the floor.

“Argh fucking hell, I’m so sorry I didn’t see you there.”

The girl mumbled rubbing her forehead with the palm of her hand. In the background Sweet Pea had some trouble stifling his laughter ending up in him totally bursting out, followed by Fangs’ laughter who just happened to coincidently turn around the corner. Cheryl took in the sweet scent of a perfume she recognized, but couldn’t place. The girl smelled fantastically, she found herself impressed with the quality of the perfume purchased by the serpent. She didn’t respond to the ball of confusion, trying to compose herself, but merely raised a brow.

“You keep surprising me with your excellent, experienced level of clumsiness, Topaz.”

“Oh…”

Toni’s eyes widened while she quickly pulled herself up, straightening out her posture. Out of all people it had to be her she ran into, she couldn’t help but admit, she was indeed extremely clumsy around her.

“Are you going to continue standing there or are you still going to move? Shoo you bungersome clodhopper!”

“Yes ma’am, my sincerest apologies”

Toni spoke up with a straight back and head held high. She stepped aside and spread her arm, making the way free for Cheryl to walk through. As Cheryl (who by the way was desperately hiding a smile from her surrounding spectators) disappeared out of sight, Toni released a breath she didn’t even realize she was holding in.

“Yes ma’am? Are you serious?”

Fangs asked calming down a bit recovering from his aching abdomen due to the sudden laughter taking over.

“Yeah, I don’t know what came over me.”

Toni grinned broadly. 

“I hope she won’t remember any of this on Monday”

“So what if she does, why would you care.”

“She’s kind of the captain of the cheerleaders and she needs to approve of me otherwise I can’t get in.”

“Oh damn, well guess that’s a challenge you’ll fail.”

“Shut up, Sweets I still got plenty of opportunities to make it up, I’ll make it boys, I know I will.”

Toni made it easily in time for English lit. Walking to the back she noticed a familiar redhead, also on the last row. Today was going to be all about redheads wasn’t it?

“If it isn’t Archie Andrews honouring us with his presence.”

“Toni, hey how is it going?”

She was met once again by that charming toothy smile. He looked genuinely happy to see her, which in some way warmed her heart. She let herself fall onto the seat next to him, grabbing her textbook out of her bag, cautiously putting it on the desk as if it were some valuable treasure. She still wasn’t used to the brand-new stuff she was learning with now, images of the ripped and old things back at Southside High still very present in her memories.

“Awesome, how about you?”

“Never better. I heard you ran into her Royal Highness this morning. Apparently the look on your face was priceless. You were spared of vicious insult daggers though. You probably haven’t got a clue how lucky you got there.”

“I think I’ve got an idea, but indeed she went kind of easy on me, hearing how she has burned down others in the past.”

“Yeah, she can be rather on the defensive side very often, but she really isn’t that bad, once you get to know her.”

This made Toni think. Cheryl seemed more like an ‘attack’ person than a ‘defence’ person. But maybe that was the point. Attack people, before they can attack you, making her indirectly just protecting herself. ‘She really isn’t that bad’, the words flew though her mind. Somewhere she knew there was more to the girl than the eye met, she just hadn’t had the pleasure of coming across that side yet.

“So do you?”

Toni asked curiously, earning a confused look from Archie.

“Do I what?”

“Do you know her… like personally?”

Archie shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Seems like that’s not a fun subject to talk about for him. 

“Let’s say, I’ve seen her. I stopped her once from doing something irreversible. I’ve also talked with her before about… stuff.”

Toni nodded understandingly, taking her cue to turn the conversation around and light it up some more.

“So the game tonight… Any thoughts on the outcome?”

At hearing this Archie’s face lit up, surprised and a bit excited that she remembered.

“Yeah, we’re going to kick their asses. We’ve been training like crazy, we just can’t afford losing now. But it’s not something I worry about. We’re more than ready.”

Toni smiled at this. His determination really was cute.

“You’re still coming right?”

“Never said I was.”

“Come on, Toni”

“Sure I’ll be there. But only because I want to see the Vixens cheer. Maybe I’ll catch something out of it.”

“You trying out for them?”

“Jep”

Toni said popping the ‘p’.

“Sweet, you already made quite an unforgettable impression by the head cheerleader, so there’s that, gives you a head start.”

He said winking at her. Toni shook her head and shoved him lighly.

“Shut up, Andrews!”

Archie laughed contagiously. He really was a guy, Toni saw herself calling her friend at one point or another. He just had that fun attitude. Sadly, that wasn’t exactly where the bulldog was going for.

“So about that football from last time. I still have to make it up to you, you free on Saturday?”

“Your timing does need some work, boy. Already meeting up to work on a routine.”

Toni smiled apologetically. Archie sighed and stretched out.

“Why do I feel like I’m going to have to do an awful lot of planning to get some time with you?”

“Maybe it isn’t what God intended for us.”

Archie looked at her incredulously, causing her to release a laugh.

“Wait what? Are you religious”

“Oh God no. Not at all. It just fell out of my mouth I guess.”

“You’re something different aren’t you?”

“You bet. The world hasn’t seen anyone like me before, that, I can assure you.”

Archie laughed shaking his head, while the teacher demanded silence. Toni looked at him with a grin. And just like that she had made a new friend, someone who sometimes from then on would still ask her out as a joke, but expected nothing more from her than she was already giving him. A friendship that made her embrace the northside some more, also pushing her own prejudices a little more to the side.


	5. Game night

Toni scrolled indecisive through her iTunes library. Nothing she had found pulled something new, creative out of her, it bothered her senseless. She blew a strand of hair out of her face, shaking her head at the same time. She was about to settle on a night of Two Feet, who’s music she adored by the way; just not today, before she stumbled upon the fire she’d been searching for. Her eyes lit up, biting her lip she putted the fierce song up whilst crazily pressing the button for louder volume almost hurting her finger in the process. 'Grace Potter & the Nocturnals – Paris (Ooh La La)' blasted through her speakers, making sure everyone in the trailer park could enjoy the vibes with her.

“Hell yes, queen!”

Toni shouted whilst carefully throwing her laptop on her bed. She stood up, dancing already, not in a serious want-to-earn-a-place-on-the-cheer-squad way but rather in an I-am-a-teenage-girl-who-doesn’t-care-about-anything way. Singing at the top of her lungs into her hairbrush in front of the mirror, she didn’t give a flying fuck how cliché she must’ve looked, she just went with it. She opened her closet, going through some cloths before throwing it close again

“Who am I even kidding? I probably am going to wear the same thing tonight as I wore today to school.”

Toni laughed at herself, while the song faded out and made room for P!nk’s ‘So What’, which ever so secretly happened to be her favourite song to sing along.

“So, so what, I’m still a Rockstar, I got my rock moves. And I don’t need you! And guess what? I’m having more fun…”

Looking like a complete idiot, punching her fist in the air, Toni got startled all of a sudden by her ringtone messing up her X factor session. Running over to her phone she got it just in time before it went to voice mail, forgetting to check who it was though. She just assumed it was Sweet Pea or Fangs or Jughead.

“Yeah? What’s up?”

“The proper way to greet someone would be ‘Hello, how are you doing?’, but I don’t suppose you were raised with that kind of manners, now were you?”

“What?”

“Once more, the correct term is pardon, I believe. Also, is that P!nk playing in the background?”

“No, it is not!”

Toni spouted out dramatically, rushing over to her laptop putting it on mute.

“Wait, Cheryl? Is that you?”

“Of course who else would it be? Do you happen to know more than one Cheryl Blossom? Or are you too filled with stupidity to check the name on your screen before picking up?”   
Toni kept quiet not really taking the insults to heart, not really taking in anything at all. She was just plainly confused at why the redhead had called her so randomly, while she, being a cheerleader and all, probably had to prepare for the game an hour away from now. After what seemed like an eternity without either of them speaking up, Toni realized that Cheryl was naturally the girl to have the last word, but not the one to have the first so she spoke up. 

“Blossom?”

“Yes?”

“Are you still going to tell me or…?”

“Tell you what exactly?”

“Ehm, the reason for your call?”

Toni bit her tongue, holding back an obnoxious ‘duuuh’, she remembered she still had to win points by the captain and so she shove what the redhead would define as ‘uncivilized vocabulary’ to the side.

“Right.”

Cheryl said back, seemingly being brought back to earth after letting her thoughts wander off to dreamland.

“There’s a lot of work that needs to be done for the chemistry assignment and I want us both to start perfectly on time, so that we can in calculate unexpected delays or postponements in our schedules, without harm being done to our respective grades.”

“Okay, cool. I’ll pass by the library this weekend and prepare some stuff.”

“Preparing some stuff won’t be enough if you want to collect an actual A” 

“Cheryl, relax. The teacher hasn’t even properly explained the assignment yet. Don’t you better focus on cheering right now?”

“How do you know I’m cheering tonight?”

“Well basically anyone knows you’re the cheer captain and there’s this bulldog that asked me to come to see him play tonight, so I figured you’d be there too.”

“So, you’ll be coming too tonight?”

There was a weird tone in Cheryl’s voice as she asked that question. It seemed like it was more wishful, hopeful asking than just an ordinary question out of sheer curiosity. It made something good twitch inside of Toni, but she was most likely imagining things.

“Jep. Does that make you nervous?”

Toni asked, suddenly feeling very confidently and a bit cocky. Cheryl just merely scoffed.

“I don’t get nervous, especially not for someone like you.”

“Too bad, otherwise I would have come to see you before the game, you know, give you a pep talk and give you a neck rub or do something else to you to boost your spirit.”

Good thing they were talking on the phone, because there was no way in hell Cheryl would’ve been able to hide the deep blush creeping on her cheeks. She would also prefer to die to knowing she gave that kind of satisfaction of an ego boost to the pink haired girl. Good thing they were talking on the phone once more because she’d hate to let the serpent know how much she could actually make her smile without even trying.

“You’re in luck I can’t slap you for what you’re insinuating.”

“That, I am certain of.”

Toni’s wholehearted laugh rang through the receiver making Cheryl’s stomach leap. At what point did this happen? Unfortunately, the redhead heard Veronica’s voice in the background calling for her, cutting her moment short.

“Okay, Amaurotic as unpleasant as it’s been having to communicate with you, I believe I have to go.”

“Sure, bye. Oh and Cheryl?”

“Yes?”

“For what it’s worth, I know you don’t need it because you’re a pro and all that, but I’ll be cheering for you out there tonight, your own personal cheerleader on the bleachers.”

Cheryl felt her heart melt at these words, wondering how such a random girl could even make her feel cared for. Smiling like an idiot she warped in a quick response before breaking the line and holding her phone against her chest sighing contently. She stood there like that for a minute before she took on her HBIC face and stormed off to the other Vixens ready to drill them one last time before the game.

“Goodbye Toni.”

‘What was that all about?’ Toni heard herself think, before responding to herself out loud with a large smile.

“No, freaking idea, but hey. You won’t hear me complaining.”

“Come onnn ,it’s just football, it’ll be entertaining in some way?”

Toni slurred out, while she stood with crossed arms in between her friends and the tv, tapping her feet somewhat nervously.

“What’s the fun in looking at arrogant teenage douchebags, running into one other trying to catch a ball?”

Sweet Pea said attempting at moving Toni aside with his feet from where he was sitting on the couch. 

“Also you’re blocking my view, Tiny.”

“You guys are lame.”

Toni said, stealing a hand of popcorn from Jughead, finally removing herself from where she was standing earning an approving mumble from Sweets.

“I’m going to go anyway so catch you guys later!”

“Later, Tiny, have a good one!”

“Hold up, I changed my mind, think I’m going to head out too with you.” 

Fangs said as he jumped over the back of the couch, whilst trying to put on his serpent jacket at the same time. Toni smiled at him humming happily as she opened the door for him.  
“At least one soul in this place with social abilities on a Friday night.”

She earned a ‘shut up’ in unison, to which she responded with a ‘Later suckers!’ and closed the door behind her, jumping on her motor cycle as Fangs did the same.   
Some time later they found themselves settled comfortably on the bleachers with the iconic game-food food, hot dogs in their hands.

“So Toni, listen up”

Fangs nearly shouted, trying to get his voice over the loud noise produced by the crowd. 

“I agreed to come, but you probably should know I haven’t got the smallest clue of how this sport works nor the rules.”

“Don’t worry Fangs, neither do I.”

Fangs raised his brows questioningly at her to which she responded with a small shrug.

“I kind of promised a guy from English lit that I would come. Besides seeing the cheerleaders at work could help me form a picture on what I should be focusing on Monday.”

Just as the words left her mouth, the cheerleaders showed up on the field, performing an excellent well put together routine with the one and only HBIC Cheryl Blossom right in front in the centre. Everyone out could see how she out shined all the rest with a smoothly kept control and balance. At the end pose, Cheryl’s eyes found Toni’s staring with a playful try-to-beat-that smile, which made Toni shiver. She proudly stood up and crazily clapped among the rest of the crowd, shouting something along the lines of ‘Go Cheryl’. The cheerleaders stood way too far for Cheryl to have ever heard that, but the girl had read her lips and caught the message. It took up all the redhead’s self-restraint not to let the corners of her lips being pulled upwards in a genuine smile.  
Not long after the bulldogs came running up the field. Toni quickly spotted the redhead 2.0; Archie who was flashing her the biggest smile. She threw him a thumbs up and a flirty wink which made him almost stumble. Toni laughed which made Fangs ask her if there was something going on between them that he should know of.

“Don’t worry, Fangs, he’s all yours if you want him.”

Toni nudged him, knowing good enough Archie could easily fit into his type.

“Nah, I think I’ve already set my eyes on someone else.”

Fangs said throwing a look towards a dark haired boy sitting a bit lower than him.

“Ohh, care to fill me in who that handsome stranger is?”

Toni said in a girly voice that so did not fit her aesthetic as she followed his gaze. Fangs shook his head pressing his lips together.

“Kevin Keller aka not someone I’m good enough for.”

“Shut up, Fangs, don’t say that. You really are a catch, don’t forget that and if he can’t see that than he’s either an amaurotic or simply straight, which would suck of course.”

Fangs shot her a weird look due to her excessive use of vocabulary.

“Amaurotic? What does that even mean?”

“Partial or total loss of sight and yeah sorry long story, but you get the point.”

“Yes, but I don’t think I have to worry about the straight theory, because I can tell you that guy is everything but that.”

“Good, so man up and go talk to him.”

“Maybe I will, but not today.”

The game was coming to an end and the bulldogs were winning. The opponents were not that much of a competition, but none the less and despite having no knowledge of American football whatsoever, it had been a very fun match to look at. Out of the corner of her eye Toni saw the Keller boy standing up and making his way out. She shoved Fangs lightly making him follow her eyes.  
“I spy with my little eyes Mr. Handsome leaving and he seems to be leaving alone. Go after him this is your chance, man!”

“Nah, I can’t, I came here with you. I’m not gonna bail on you.” 

“Bullshit, go after him. I’m a big girl I can get home on my own.”

Fangs, battling internally the debate of what to do, looked at Kevin almost reaching the end of the stairs.

“You sure?”

“Positive, now come on he’s practically almost home”

“Okay, dramatic, and no word to the other boys about this just yet, you copy?”

“Roger that, my lips are sealed my friend.”

Toni watched as Fangs disappeared out of sight, sighing like a proud sister to herself. ‘If those two get together, I most definitely will demand my credits’.   
The match was over, meaning the bulldogs won. Toni remained seated on the bleachers scrolling through her phone, totally not into the thought of squirming herself through the mass that was now exiting the place. She was almost the only one left, before she saw a familiar blonde come to sit right next to her, beaming as she did so.

“Sooo, what did you think?”

“Betty hey, you did an awesome job down there. You too by the way, Veronica right?”

“Jep, that’s me.”

The dark haired girl smiled politely at her, still wearing her cheer outfit.

“We still on for tomorrow, aren’t we?”

“Yes without a doubt. Also speaking of that, you guys don’t happen to know where Cheryl’s hiding out right about now, do you?”

“She’s probably gone home by now. Why? You plan on smooth talking your way into a place on the team?”

“No, just wondering. Wait, would that work, you think?”

“Maybe, but you’re going to need a whole set of skills to be able to pull that tactic off by Cheryl. She’s not exactly the easiest target on that field.”

“Oh don’t worry about that. My skills are on point.”

“I truly believe that conversation is something we’d all pay to see”

The girls all laughed at this making their way together down the bleachers. It was a beautiful night, Toni just felt a little pang of disappointment of not having had the chance to tell Cheryl she had put together an amazing choreography. Oh well, she was going to have enough time for that, once she had secures her spot on the team.


End file.
